Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-09-01
ST. JOSEPH, MO.
A CHAT ABOUT ITS RESOURCES
~ AND PROSPECTS.
Its Population Now &C, 900 and Its Busi-
ness Over S11O,OOO,OO0 o Year-Its
Streets and Public Improvements-Its
Jobbing Trade and Manufacturers.

u
Streets and Public Improvements-Its
Jobbing Trade and Manufacturers.
Especial Correspondence
New YORK, Aug. "a.
l heard a great deal during my western
trip about the prosperity which st. Joseph,
Mo-, is having. 1t is one of the oldest towns
on the Missouri river, and it has always been
looked upon as one Of the most substantial.
1t was an Indian trading post in 1896, a town
site in 1923, and it is now one of the leading
Jobbing cities of the west. did not visit it
during the present trip, but met today one
of its substantial citizens and had chat with
him in regard to it's boom. Said this man.
st. Joe is one of the wealthiest cities of the
United States in proportion to it's population.
1t does It's own business with its own capital,
and it is not, like Kansas City and Omaha,
owned by Boston and New York"
wv hat does its business amount to-"
Its wholesale and retail trade last year
amounted to more than $110, 900, 900, which
was an actual increase of more than $23 ,0O0,-
900 over the business Of 1886. OF this trade
$l3,OOO,OOO was dry goods and SIS, 0OO, 900 gro
ceries, while $17,000000 were made up of
goods which were manufactured at St. Jo-
seph. That part of the Missouri valley is
now thoroughly settled, and St. Joseph has
large territory containing many good sized
towns tributary to it. Its wholesale firms
have made money, and the bank clearings of
1855 amounted to more than $S7, 600 600
Since Jan. these clearings have increased
more than 70 per cent, and it is probable
that tire Increase of the entire present year
would reach over so per cent, making the ag-
greSate for 1887 nearly S135, 100000 There
are seven banks in St. Joe, and all are making
money. Two have been started since the
first of the, year, and the five which did bust
ness last year loaned in the aggregate nearly
S2O,O1O.OO0. The deposits of these five banks
ran high Into the millions, and when you re-
member that the best rates of interest are re-
ceived here it will be seen that one of these
western banks is a perpetual gold mine"
"How about real estate?"
"St. Joseph has had real estate boom.
Prices have nearly doubled but they are. as
a rule, based upon the foundation of interest
bearing values. The increase within the city
Is not greater than is warranted by the rents
received, and while there is some wild specu-
latlon on the outskirts. there has been moth
ing OF the craze of Wichita. understand
that Representative Burnes and others have
made nice little speculation in their addi-
ton known as Saxton Heights A friend of
Burnes, tells me that S tx men were engaged in
the speculation, and that each cleared $13. 900
out OF 1t while the real estate man who
handled it made $4,000 One of the princi-
pal streets of this addition was named after
Mrs. President Cleveland. 1t was called Fol-
som avenue. and Mrs. Cleveland sent very
pretty letter about it in reply to the comph-
nent.
a. NF hill 4 -, l.
Joe, and during tue past year more than 81
100000 were spent in building material We
erected more than $500, 900 worth of build.
ings which cost over $1,000 apiece, and there
was nearly 81 100000 spent for buildings
ranging from 500 to $500 each"
docs the town do much manufacturingn
eyes. 1t did more than ST., 900 900 last
year.land there has been a gain of more than
S3,5OO,OOO over 1885. Coal has been found
near the city, and this together with the ex
traordinary railroad facilities of the place.
will make it a great manufacturing center.
We do considerable hog packing, and this in
dustry has increased nearly 1,OOO, 900 in the
last year. The town has wooden mills which
employ 200 men and which use 1000 pounds
of wool daily. There are furniture factories
hardware factories, ow and stove works.
breweries and other institutions which all
told employ between 5000 and 5000 men.
and which will this year make a product OF
about $50, ,OOO"
"kansas City and st. Joe are rivals of each
other" this gentleman went on, land st.
Joseph completes for much of the same trade
as Kansas City. 1t has quite as good railroad
facilities and there are ten railroads leading
into it. These roads tap every part of the
country, and the drumners from here have
Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas
Colorado and New Mexico as a part of their
territory. The Santa Fe railroad system will
be there by the first of next January and the
great diagonal has its graders now within
few miles of the city. The last road has paid
out over $4,000 for property and has not
asked us for bonus. Then st. Joe has tn,
B. and NJ. railroad, which is one of the grea,
through lines to Denver and the Pacific coast
1t has the Wabash St Louis and Pacific, the
Chicago and Rock Island, the Chicago, Bur.
lington and Quincy, the Hannibal and st.
Joe and other roads which radiate from iel
on the maps like the spokes Of Wheel
"How about public improvements
"The town is we'll supplied with street rail.
roads, and it will probably have two cable.
by the first of next year. The franchises ar,
granted and they only wait for the machin
cry. Our streets are smooth and are pavec
with asphaltum, and | am told that nearly
$780, will he spent in street Improvements
this year. We have already more than fifty
miles of stone and brick sidewalk. We bav,
an excellent sewerage, and our streets ar.
lighted with gas and electricity. New street
railways are being laid upon Frederick
avenue, and there will be an electric railway
in working order within a short time Tn,
asphalt pavements of st. Joe are equal to the
pavements OF Washington"
$50
"How about your educational facities?"
"As to schools we have the best, and we
have churches of every kind. We have a
good retail stores as you viii find in the west.
and our people spend a good deal upon house
furniture. All kinds of business are booming,
and both the Rock Island and the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy railroads are doubling
their freight house facilities. During the
first six months of this year the jobbing trade
has increased over the first six months of 1886
more than 33 per cent. Several new jobbing
houses will begin business on the 1st of Jan
uary, and Armour & Co. offer to put up a
nacking house employing more than 1000
men for a bonus of 100000 They come
high, but we will get them, and our commit
tee Is now in CHICAGO for n consultation Al